Type-writer attachment



PATENTED FEB. 23; 1904.

L. H. WESTON. 7 TYPE WRITER ATTACHMENT.

APPLIOATION FILED 06124. 1903 .H0 MODEL.

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UNITED STATES Patented February 23, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

TYPE-WRITER ATTACHMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. '?53,184, dated February 23, 1904.

' Application filed October 2%,1903.

To all whmn it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, LEwIs H. WESTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Deer Island, in the county of Columbia and State of Oregon, have invented new and useful Improvements in Type-VVriter Attachments, of which the following is a specification;

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in type-Writer attachments; and its object is to provide a simple, durable, and inexpensive device adapted to be readily placed in position upon any form of typewriter or other keyboard-machines and which is especially adapted for use in depressing the space-bar without bringing the fingers of the operator into position thereon.

The invention consists in providing a casing adapted to be secured in any suitable manner above the key to be depressed, and this casing is provided with depressing means adapted to be projected by air forced into the casing by a bulb constructed to be carried within the palm of the hand of the operator.

The invention also consists in the further novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, showing the preferred form of my invention, and in Which Figure 1 is a perspective View of a portion of the keyboard of a machine and showing my improved attachment applied thereto, and Fig. 2 is a section through the casing of the attachment and its supporting-bracket.

Referring to the figures by numerals of reference, 1 is a casing of any suitable form having an aperture 2 in the bottom thereof, and within the casing and extending over the aperture is a strip 3, of rubber or other suitable elastic material, and this strip is retained in position by means of a gasket 4. A block 5 fits snugly within the casing and upon the gasket 4 and is secured in such position by means of screws 6 or other suitable devices arranged within the sides of the casing. A passage 7 extends upward through the block 5 and an extension formed upon the block, and a bracket 9 of any suitable form engages this extension and is adapted to be secured to Serial No. 178,876. (No model.)

i the machine or to a table supportingthe same by means of a clamp 10. The extension 8 is also engaged by one end of a flexible tube 11, the other end of which is provided with a small bulb 12, adapted to be carried in the palmof the operator. A clip 13 of any preferred form may be employed for supporting the tube 11 from the garment of the operator while the device is in use.

After the casing 1 has been secured in position above the key to be depressed bulb 12 is placed in the palm of one of the hands of the operator, and the keys are then depressed as ordinarily; but when it is desired to form a space between a word instead of depressing the spacing-bar in the ordinary manner the bulb 12 is compressed between the palm and fingers of the hand in which it is located, and air is thus forced through the tube 11 and the passage 7 against the inner surface of the strip 8. This strip 3 is thus forced outward through the aperture 2, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and bears downward upon the spacing-bar and depresses it. As soon as the bulb is released the air returns thereto and the strip 8 is free to return to its normal position.

By providing a device of this character considerable time may be saved in operating the machine to which it is attached, as a large number of the movements of the hand ordinarily necessitated by the depressing of the spacing-bar are dispensed with.

While I have shown and described the device as used in connection with a spacing-bar, it will be understood that the same can be attached to any other keys of a keyboard, and the casing 1 can be shaped to conform to the contour of the key for which it is intended.

In the foregoing description I have shown the preferred form of myinvention; but I do not limit myself thereto, as I am aware that modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I therefore reserve the right to make such changes as fairly fall within the scope of my invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. An attachment of the character described comprising a casing having an aperture in one face thereof, an elastic strip extending over the aperture and adapted to be projected therethrough, and means for forcing air into the casing.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with a casing having an aperture therein; of an elastic strip extending across the aperture, and flexible means for forcing air into the casing and projecting the strip through the aperture.

3. A device of the character described comprising a casing having an aperture in one face thereof, an elastic strip within the casing and extending across the aperture, a gasket upon said strip, a block within the casing and above the gasket, said block having a passage therein, a tubular extension upon the block, a bulb,

and a flexible tubular connection between the bulb and the extension.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination with a casing having an aperture in one face thereof; of an elastic strip within the casing and extending over the aperture, a gasket upon the strip, a block for securing the gasket in position upon the strip, an extension on the block, said extension'and block having a passage therethrough, a bulb, a tubular connection between the bulb and extension, and a bracket for supporting the casing.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LEWIS H. WESTON.

Witnesses:

D. W. RICHARDSON, R. S. HATTAN. 

